National Conference, Congress seek ‘dignified burial’ for men killed in Ganderbal encounter

Srinagar: National Conference on Management and congress The J&K Assembly on Saturday raised the Ganderbal encounter incident and demanded that the body of a local man killed in the operation be handed over to his family for a “dignified burial”.The family of slain Rashid Ahmad Mughal has disputed the army’s statement about the encounter, which said an unidentified terrorist was killed during an operation in Alahama district on the night of March 31. LG Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a formal inquiry into the encounter. Rashid’s brother Ajaz Ahmad Mughal claimed it was a fake encounter and lodged a police complaint seeking investigation.Raising the issue, retired High Court judge Hasnan Masoudi, a member of the National Council, said: “The right to a decent burial is a right recognized by the Constitution. According to Article 21, the family has the right to perform the last rites. Even as the investigation continues, the body should be returned to the family. “Bandipora MP Nizamuddin Bhat sought a judicial inquiry saying the administrative probe was not enough. “The victim’s first right is to a dignified burial and this right should be respected,” he said.Another North Carolina lawmaker, Mubarak Gul, said Congress should condemn the incident. “In the first place, this should not have happened. Now that it has, the House should be concerned,” he said. North Carolina MP Mir Saifullah from Kupwara asked the government to issue a statement on the incident.Since 2019, authorities have buried terrorists killed in the conflict in designated cemeteries in northern Kashmir, including Kupwara and Uri, rather than returning the bodies to their families, citing concerns about large funeral gatherings.